Starting Fiddle
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:28
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1038
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ogray
Hi,
I have to do a fiddle when starting my HJ60 cruiser diesel. It invloves slowly turning the key to a position between the on and start position to ignite the glow plug light on the dash. If I don't do this when the enigne is cold it will turn over but is difficult to start and will also produce a large plume of white/blue smoke from flooding I presume, as the smoke is not produced when the fiddle is emplyed. Is this someting that I can rectify at
home? I do have a good mechanical aptitude, but I am very new to diesel engines.
Owen
Reply By: zigglemeister - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:40
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:40
Hi Owen,
Most diesels of that generation, you have to turn the key to "on" and wait for the glow light to go out before starting, especially when cold. If the glow light's not coming on when the key's turned to "on" it sounds like maybe there's a problem with the electrical contacts within the key cylinder. Question - when you do your fiddle and the glow light comes on, does it stay on for a bit and then time out and turn itself off, or do you have to just regulate how long it stays on yourself?
Tim Z
AnswerID:
35353
Follow Up By: ogray - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:47
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 09:47
Hi Tim Z,
The glow light stays on for a split second only, hence the need for the fiddle when the ignition is turned to the on position.
When the fiddle is deplyed it stays on for about 5 seconds and goes out by itself.
Owen
FollowupID:
25548
Follow Up By: zigglemeister - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 15:25
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 15:25
In that case, my guess'd be the same as cruiser below... ignition cylinder. I seem to recall from my FJ60 days that it's not all that hard to remove. It might be worth removing the plastic bits around the steering column, pulling out the ignition cylinder and seeing how much of it you can clean yourself. It may well just be dirty contacts somewhere in the guts of it.
Tim
FollowupID:
25581
Reply By: cruiser - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 10:46
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 10:46
Had the same problem with mine and replaced the ignition cylinder and the problem disappeared.
AnswerID:
35368
Reply By: Savvas - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 14:25
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 14:25
Well, I'll be darned!!!
When I "worked" for State Rail in NSW about 15 or so years ago, we had a HJ60 that did exactly that and despite going back for repairs at the State Rail workshops umpteen times, they could never fix it.
They gave us a can of Aerostart to start it in the morning.
AnswerID:
35404
Follow Up By: Rowdy - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 18:15
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 18:15
Yeah, I've had a few mechanics like that working for me over the years.
Sacked the lot of em.
Rowdy
FollowupID:
25609
Reply By: tour boy - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 21:13
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 21:13
hi i'm assuming it is a 2H motor. if so the pre heat light and the glow plugs both work on different systems ie you can pull out all the glow plugs and the light will still function as normal. when everything is ok you should turn on your ignition and listen for a cilck that will occur after about 5-7 seconds. Then start your truck. after another 15 or so seconds if you have got good hearing you will hear another click. The first click is the full pre heat and the second is a reduced voltage pre heat that is designed to ensure that the motor doesn't cough and fart.Basically ignore the light. If the first click is short only 2-3 secs and the engine is grumpy new glow plugs are needed. ALWAYS replace them all at the same time. Some late 40 series you cant hear the second click (probably because the truck rattles so much) By the way the glow plugs are only 6 volt
The other main problem is where the long glow plug bar (the bar that links the glow plugs to each other) meets the short glow plug bar. they get a dirty connection and don't allow full voltage to the plugs.
Hope this has shed some heat on the subject.
AnswerID:
35477
Follow Up By: ogray - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 22:39
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 22:39
Hi tour boy,
Thanks for the detailed response. In relation to the clicks you are supposed to hear, well from memory I would have only heard these on no more than 5 occasions. Even when I employ the fiddle I don't on most occassions get the click?? Does this make any sense to you.
Owen
FollowupID:
25648
Reply By: tour boy - Wednesday, Oct 29, 2003 at 07:03
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2003 at 07:03
gday.
usually when you don't get a click at all from the 5 or so 2h motors i've had, it was the glow plugs themselves but try to clean all the contacts on the preheat bars first as the dont (or shouldnt) get hot they only relay voltage. If they are getting hot (you can usually see the black coating on the short bar is bubbled or brittle) then there is a poor contact between the two bars or it is earthing out( crook glow plugs) enjoy
AnswerID:
35513